When a retired, recently widowed teacher falls prey to a phone scam, she’s left robbed of her life savings and without any money for her late husband’s grave.
Her life turns upside down when she realises that there’s no way of gaining her money back, up until she receives an alluring, yet suspicious offer for work.
The tables turn as she takes matters into her own hands and cash begins rolling in, this time claiming her most prized attribute: Her values, as she slowly and surely transforms into the scammer herself.

Directed by: Stephan Komandarev

Written by: Stephan Komandarev, Simeon Ventsislavov

Produced by: Stephan Komandarev, Katya Trichkova, Eike Goretzka, Christoph Kukula

Cinematography: Vesselin Hristov

Editing: Nina Altaparmakova

Production Design: Ivelina Mineva

Costume Design: Nadya Dobrikova

Make-Up: Bistra Kechedjieva

Sound: Johannes Doberenz, Sebastian Schmidt, Olaf Mehl

Original Score: Kalina Vasileva

Visual Effects: PATRICK GUNTHER, MICHAEL BURCKHARDT

Cast: Eli Skorcheva, Gerasim Georgiev

Original Title: УРОЦИТЕ НА БЛАГА

Film Production Country: Bulgaria

Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/blagaslessons
https://instagram.com/blagaslessons.movie?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
https://heretic.gr/film/blagas-lessons/
Statement of the Director/s
Though BLAGA’S LESSONS is the last installment in our trilogy (following Directions and Rounds), it is vastly different. The story of our main character Blaga holds a mirror up to a number of painful aspects of Bulgarian society such as: |

The Bulgarian pensioners abandoned to a humiliating existence – our mothers and fathers. After working their entire lives, today their life is genocide, agony and misery. Meagre pensions, no access to basic 21st century “privileges” such as normal food, adequate medication and medical care… Pensioners are also the main target and the usual victims of the obscene phenomenon known as “phone scams”. The dreams of a decent life have long since been replaced by a struggle for everyday survival.

The loneliness of the Bulgarian pensioners – most of them are separated from their children and grand-children. Their descendants are far away, searching for a living in the capital or in far-off countries.

The complete moral crisis our society is caught in. The obscenity of stealing the saving of an elderly person who is barely making ends meet. Making “easy money” with complete disregard for any laws, value systems or morals. The soullessness, corruption and consumerism as the sole “value”.

I live in Bulgaria with my two children. The main questions that have been on my mind for years now are these: What is happening in Bulgaria and Europe? Why we are more and more divided and the inequality is growing? Where are we headed? Why are we sinking deeper and deeper into a crisis – not only an economical one but a spiritual one, a crisis of values? Where can we look for hope? How and where are our children going to live?

The faithful representation and understanding of reality is the first requirement for its change, the only condition for fruitful action.

Biography of the Director/s
Born in 1966 in Sofia. Stephan graduated in Medicine in Medical Academy – Sofia (1995) and in Film & TV directing at the New Bulgarian University (1999). His works include award-wining feature and documentary films. He is a lecturer at the Film Department of the New Bulgarian University, Sofia (since 2008). He is a 2011 EAVE graduate and a Member of the European Film Academy, Bulgarian Film Directors’ Association and Bulgarian Film Producers’ Association

Filmography of the Director/s
2023 - BLAGA'S LESSONS, Feature
2019 - ROUNDS, Feature
2017 - POSOKI / DORECTIONS, Feature
2014 - THE JUDGMENT, Feature
2009 - THE TOWN OF BADANTE WOMEN, Documentary
2008 - THE WORLD IS BIG AND SALVATION LURKS AROUND THE CORNER, Feature
2003 - ALPHABET OF HOPE, Documentary
2002 - BREAD OVER THE FENCE, Documentary
2000 - DOGS HOME, Feature

Production Company:
Argo Film
Stephan Komandarev
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: +359878308238
Website: argofilm.eu

World Sales:
Heretic
Ioanna Stais
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: +302106005260
Website: heretic.gr

Press:
8pm
Radi Georgiev
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: +359886937783
Website: http://8pm.bg